Descent Into Dissonance
by Rei Tomiyama
Summary: An AU fic. An archangel named Uriel plummets to the world below after dying, ending up in the body of Duo Maxwell. On the other hand, another archangel, Michael, has fallen from Heaven to find his missing friend as an assassin called Heero Yuy. 1x2.
1. Falling Out of Heaven's Graces

A/N: About the title, please don't mind. I just thought it sounded pretty cool, but if you really want to know, just ask me via e-mail 'cause the answer's gonna be pretty long.

Also, the angels mentioned here are all real, but I made up the appearances and personalities to suit Gundam Wing. Please don't sue me for their usage.:(

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. Bandai, Sunrise, and other people and/or companies I don't know own it. I am not making money off this, I am merely doing this for fun.

You'll understand why this first part has no one in the GW cast. Yet. At least I hope you do.

Here goes my second attempt at a 1x2… happy reading: )

-Rei:)

**Descent Into Dissonance **

**Prologue – Falling Out of Heaven's Graces **

The Archangel Uriel smiled to himself as he walked alongside its four other close friends, all in the same standing of Archangel, second lowest rank as an Angel next to the actual Angels. Heaven was such a naturally beautiful place, he mused, with soft, fluffy clouds underneath bare feet and the radiance of the sun quietly welcoming the entrance of a new day. It was where they glimpsed man's activity below them, gauging to see if there was need for intervention. Life was peaceful and generally uneventful, with the several ranks of angels watching over their wards diligently and obeying without question God's many wills for the betterment of mankind. It was as far as one could get from the chaotic atmosphere on earth, where mortals waged endless wars and blood was shed needlessly. He sighed in wordless gratitude for his existence as an Archangel and not a human being and stole a glance at his equally contemplative friends.

Reputed to be God's invincible champion, Michael was a silent, cold Archangel with shoulder length raven hair and deep cobalt eyes, armed with two flaming swords ready to fight demons the Devil used as its blind followers. The unofficial leader of their little group, he was the one with the final say in things. He also happened to be very possessive, a quality soon discovered by his acquaintances. Uriel had been Michael's long-time companion, and with the arrival of the other Archangels in their small two-person circle, did not take too kindly to his having to 'share' Uriel's time with the others, though grudgingly he had more or less taken to tolerating having Uriel 'stolen from under his nose'. It still did not stop the Archangel from being fiercely protective, however. Right now, Uriel noticed, Michael was frowning pensively, and he tried his best to suppress a giggle at the all-too-familiar sight.

Then there was Raphael. As he was one of the quieter ones, he rarely spoke and when he did, the meaning was usually hidden behind one of his mysterious riddles. Golden-haired and emerald eyed, he also had an intimate relationship with one of the other archangels, Gabriel. Uriel trusted Raphael implicitly, although he couldn't say that he completely understood why. Somehow, Raphael gave off the impression of being strong even under the mask of nonchalance, which drew the rest of the group to him.

Next to Raphael was Gabriel, of course. With fine platinum hair and blue eyes sparkling with vitality, he was the human embodiment of a "true angel". Cheerful and outgoing, he was placed with the unfortunate role of mediator when things roughened up in Heaven, where life was not without its dose of bad days for its inhabitants. Gabriel was also very sociable, a trait which Uriel himself possessed. These often led to long, thoughtful conversations regarding anything and everything. And as Uriel studied the people he was with, he admitted that it was rather an enjoyable experience to talk to Gabriel, like the two of them had all the time in the world.

Saliel was the latest to join. With a solemn look in those bottomless black pools, which were his eyes, the dark-haired Archangel took the mission of achieving the justice and equality that God hoped to instill into the people on earth most seriously. He engaged in debates concerning as to how justice might be meted out continuously on earth constantly, which made him Uriel's primary target for teasing, often making fun of his name by shortening it to 'Sali'.

And Uriel? He knew that he was probably noisiest among them, always laughing and talking, light-hearted and optimistic, ready to play jokes and pull pranks anytime. He was regarded as shallow and vain, the least competent of the Archangels, at least until he switched to another personality, one that comprehended completely what was to be done and wasted no time getting what it wanted. He was cruel then, and void of emotion. But he didn't like to be that in normal circumstances, so again he put up the façade that always smiled and was innocently happy.

Others of their class often wondered how such a diverse group of five could get along so perfectly all the time. How stoic Michael could stand the company of the jokester Uriel. How Saliel could tolerate being with Michael, who was as hard headed as he was, and just as stubborn. How Raphael could actually listen to the various ramblings of the overly-chipper Gabriel. How they could function normally, period.

They didn't, actually. But it worked for them, somehow. Their differences made up for the weaknesses and strengths each of the individual Archangel characterized. They worked as a team to harness their abilities.

Because God didn't make them perfect, despite being his holy creations…

Because they were mere Archangels who had to make do with what they had, and not Seraphim, who were more infinitely powerful than they…

Because they knew they couldn't, and they wouldn't last on their own. There were too many they couldn't trust, too many who were suspicious in their eyes. Too many who would jump at the chance of their vulnerability.

Michael gazed at Uriel as they sat at a secluded spot near the south of Heaven, one that had quickly become their favorite. Something was bothering his friend, he realized belatedly, observing Uriel's troubled face. They'd all been unnaturally hushed up while they were strolling aimlessly around, and it gnawed at his mind. Uriel wasn't one to hold back words, even at his own expense. So why was he acting strange? He tapped his companion's shoulder. Surprised, Uriel flinched turned abruptly and saw it was only Michael who was touching him.

"Oh, it's you…" He managed a weak smile. The black-haired Archangel frowned back. What was wrong? He voiced the thought out loud, but Uriel waved it away.

"I was just thinking about stuff, you know…" Then he fell silent again. His blue-eyed friend prodded him again, this time harder.

"Ow! What the…? What?" Michael shot him a glare and he shut up.

"What stuff?" Uriel shifted uncomfortably.

"Just… about the five of us." Just as he was about to ask exactly what stuff about the five of them the silver-haired Archangel was thinking about, a shadow loomed over them.

"Michael." A flat voice intoned. The two of them looked up. It was Riguel a good distance off from them, another Archangel who had been, like the rest of them, mentioned in man's Holy Bible.

"Riguel." He stood up, stared down the smaller angel as best as could be possibly done with about a 5 meter separation, and returned the name evenly despite his annoyance at being interrupted. Who was Riguel to interfere with one of his more private moments with Uriel? He subjected the other Archangel to one of his most intense death glares and used his height to his advantage, hoping to scare him away so he could go back to where he was a minute earlier with Uriel. In response, the petite Archangel began squirming in discomfort, and Michael knew he'd earned himself a small victory. However, it was short lived when his seeming adversary cleared his throat, determined to say whatever he was supposed to despite the tiny sliver of fear that lurked after being Michael's recipient of a glare.

"I don't like how you hogged the scene last time when we were out battling with the demons." He stated bluntly. The taller Archangel raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Well, too bad." Riguel grit his teeth. This wasn't going the way he'd hoped.

"What I'm saying is, Archangel Michael, Champion of God…" He said pointedly, "I need you to butt out of _my turf _and go find something else to do." Michael's smirk widened imperceptibly.

"What if I don't?" Riguel's eyes flashed and before he knew it, he had his bow in his hands and an arrow fitted, ready to release and hit Michael if he so much as said another word. In answer, his foe summoned his twin blades and stood ready in a threatening stance. Angered further by Michael's continued opposition and throwing his sense of control to the winds, he let go of the shaft and watched it fly towards the sword-bearing Archangel.

Michael would die. That he was sure of. He never missed his shots. His arrow would be too fast for him to dislodge it.

A smile of victory graced his lips. It would be over in a matter of seconds.

Even as he saw the arrow reach closer to its destination, though, he hadn't counted on anyone else taking that shot meant for him. And that was where he'd made his mistake.

Because Uriel had seen it too, dumbstruck, screamed his objection through five earsplitting, consecutive octaves, stood up and threw the offending Archangel down just in time to receive the death Riguel had meant for the other. He sank to the ground slowly, clutching tightly at Michael's garments as dark crimson stains blossomed on his own. Blood seeped from his chest where the arrow had struck. Michael yanked the weapon out and threw it to a corner, aloofness gone, and hugged his friend tightly in spite of their awkward crouching position, almost bruising in his touch.

"Uriel… you can't leave me…" He pleaded desperately, searching for signs of life in those beautiful violet eyes that smiled for him. Tucked a loose strand of silvery hair, willing him to still live. To be with him for as long as eternity would allow them to. To show him another of his breathtaking grins and let him hear the bright, carefree laughter from those lips again.

No sound.

Michael paled visibly, and his breathing was becoming erratic. "No," he whispered, suddenly frightened. "You can't leave me… Uriel…. Uriel…" He was chanting his name, hoping to coax a response.

Still nothing.

He put his ear to Uriel's chest, where a heart, the heart God had given all angels to feel and love, should have been beating.

He heard only silence.

And with this final discovery, a tear slid down the Archangel's eye. He buried his face in his dead friend's shoulder, sobbing noiselessly.

Riguel started wailing in anguish over his careless mistake, face covered by his hands. Those same hands that had killed Uriel. He hadn't meant to eliminate sweet, innocent Uriel…

Not him…

Certainly not him…!

A low hiss effectively halted his train of thought.

"Riguel…" He involuntarily shuddered and refused to meet Michael's eyes. Strong fingers forced his head up, and he came face to face with his rival Archangel. He went cold at the sight.

Michael's normally distant eyes had hardened beyond recognition, and he had the hungry, crazed look of a wild animal set on the loose, lips curved into a feral smile. His sword was in one hand.

"Banish me from the south of Heaven,  
Lead me to man's infernal haven,  
Send me to find my half's lost soul,  
Help me to gain what fate once stole."

A cut-off cry escaped the south of Heaven, and blood spilled for the second time that day.


	2. Slumber

A/N: Okay… this is my second attempt at a 1x2 fic, and a Gundam Wing fic too, so please don't get all offended if I tend to make Duo or Heero or Solo or somebody OOC. That is, except for Relena. Let's face it, I hate the woman and I am definitely over-exaggerating her for the purposes of this fic.

Disclaimer: Do I sound like someone who would own Gundam Wing? If I did, I wouldn't have any need to make this fic 'cause I'd probably have Relena killed by Heero there, and a definite 1x2 factor appearing throughout the show. Gundam Wing is owned by Bandai, Sunrise and stuff like that. I forgot what their names were.

To all the guys who so generously reviewed me, a huge THANKS! I've had this plot idea for quite a while but it took me a long time to get around to actually doing it.

-Rei:)

**Descent Into Dissonance**

**Chapter I – Slumber**

It was a cold, empty night on the outskirts of Tokyo. The atmosphere seemed unnaturally eerie, and the lights were out. A bell rang hesitantly in the midst of those who slept peacefully, as if unwilling to break the fragile silence that encased the city. It was midnight.

A lone silhouette stood on top of a building, wearing a dark cloak. His clothes billowed from under him, but he remained still, staring at the reddish hue of the moon. His long chestnut hair, braided neatly, contrasted brightly against the darkness, and his startling violet eyes glimmered like jewels in the night. He reached out a hand to the sky, head cocked inquisitively, as if searching for an answer, and in return, a reverse pentagram glowed on the ground beneath his feet. He extended his feathered ebony wings as he leaped off the structure and headed north, pausing in mid-flight to simply float and enjoy the scenery of the night. He noticed an attractive young man walking down a street and closed his eyes.

The boy was an assassin, a professional killer who bathed his hands in the blood of innocent children. It should have been easy to take him, to let him die painlessly and snatch his soul, but there was something compelling about the messy mahogany hair and those deep sapphire eyes… and he couldn't resist, couldn't stay away.

An amused smile curving on his lips, he followed the boy as he continued to walk around. At one point, the boy stopped to look at the place where the unknown stalker lay hidden, as if he sensed it, and that was when his power started to wane.

_Fooling around again, Shinigami? I thought you didn't want to get unnecessarily attached after your last…affair. But evidently I was mistaken. You must like the company of mortals better…_

He yelped when his wings folded in on themselves and disappeared inside his back, and with it came the realization that he had once again transformed into a mortal, unwillingly.

_Perhaps I should make you one as well._

'No… not again… not again… not again! I don't want to…! You can't make me… not after Solo… You can't make me do this!' He gave a piercing, mindless shriek as he fell from the skies; his braid flailing as he went lower and lower, then finally a sickening crack as he landed on the cement. He uttered a soft, inaudible cry, tried to pick himself off from the ground, and slumped back down. His eyes slid shut and he lay stiff and motionless afterwards.

Heero Yuy had been prowling restlessly again even after it was lights-off in the dorms, unable to sleep, with an obviously annoyed expression on his face. That was what happened after one was stalked by the human parasite/Barbie named Relena Peacecraft. He shuddered, thinking of the main reason he'd been up and walking twelve at night around the dorm, then outside.

Dream Sequence

He was sitting on a bed with pink sheets, and pillows with frilly pink pillowcases, muscles tensed as he watched warily from the corner of his eye as the girl approached.

For some inane reason, he had suddenly become Relena's personal slave.

"Heero! I've waited so long for this day! Here, I want you to try out these clothes I bought especially for you!" She gave him one of her overly bright smiles, and then shoved the shopping bag at him. He nodded sullenly, and left the room, glad for an excuse to escape her and the rest of her disgustingly pink room.

He couldn't say he was happy, though, by the time he exited the dressing room. He had taken one glance at himself and run back to the bathroom just in time to puke up what little he had eaten. Relena, however, had taken one glance at him and squealed in sheer delight. He honestly thought she sounded like a pig, but he kept his mouth shut. It only became worse, however, when she started talking.

"Oh, Heero, that carnation pink tuxedo suits you so well!"

Alarm bells started ringing in his head. Was she going to make him wear it all the time now? He barely refrained from visibly cringing at the thought.

" And that matching pink tie! I knew you'd look good in anything! Now I'll have to buy you other shades of pink to match what I wear!"

He knew he should have stayed in the bathroom. It was better than hearing all this crap about him wearing pink. And he couldn't even do anything about it.

She sighed in content. Her eyes glazed and wandered off into empty space as she imagined what she and Heero would wear to the elegant dinner parties, and how everyone would say she was so lucky to find someone like him, and how they were the best matched couple in their district. Then she remembered something else she had bought.

"Oh, and Heero, could you put this on?" She put her best puppy-dog look as she thrust a big pink teddy-bear costume at Heero. He fainted dead away.

End of Dream Sequence

He'd given a particularly loud gasp as he awoke from the dream, and that alone had made one of the other dormers, probably that obnoxious Chinese boy Wufei Chang sporting a tight ponytail, snicker and mutter under his breath, "I never knew that Yuy could gasp…how girly of him…"

That had inspired an unnecessary comment from another transfer student, blond and blue-eyed Arabian Quatre Raberba Winner, already popular for being courteous and friendly even in his short term. "Yes, well, of course you wouldn't, Wufei… every person has his secrets… perhaps Heero's is gasping from nightmares…" Heero didn't know what he wanted to do, reach for the gun that was tucked in his holster and shoot Chang for even daring to talk, or Winner for having to feel the right to answer so matter-of-factly, or himself for being a complete and utter idiot. After that scene, he'd immediately walked out, only in his spandex shorts and green tank top.

But he hadn't expected to hear the snapping of bones behind him as he skulked around, nor a boy who was probably the same age as him, with an absurdly long braid of hair, lying motionless on a cracked section of the walk just a few steps from where he was. Heero frowned, and bent down to further observe the boy who was surrounded in a pool of his own blood.

There was something about the chestnut strands meticulously braided that aroused Heero's curiosity. In fact, to his surprise, he almost found it… endearing. The boy was definitely different. He was wearing peculiar clothes, and was most likely a foreigner. Before he knew it, his fingers reached to touch the boy's hair, when a hand shot up and got a surprisingly strong grip on Heero's wrist. His gaze shifted from the slender hand wrapped around his wrist, to the braid, and then to the face.

He stared into pools of amethyst, opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it. His captor grinned, purple eyes flashing in the darkness.

"Nobody. Touches. My. Hair." He hissed. Then he assumed a pensive air when he got a good look at the intruder's face and quipped as an afterthought, "Well, you're an exception. You just have to warn me if you want to touch it, 'kay?" Heero observed that for someone who had lost so much blood, the guy was pretty strong and unusually talkative. He should have been in a coma already. Just as he was about to threaten the boy into letting go of his hand, he was pulled down and he landed ungracefully on top of the bloodied teenager. He tried to disengage his hand from the vise-like grip, but was unsuccessful. The braided boy had simply smiled mischievously and chided him, caressing his cheek and smearing it with blood.

"Uh-uh-uh…you may be strong, but even you can't do anything this time."

Sighing in defeat, he prepared to lie still until he got the chance to knock his companion unconscious. Then the braided boy whispered something that made even him slightly nervous.

"Care to stay for a while, hm? I'm not letting go of you anytime soon, and right after this sentence I know I'm gonna drop off, so what do ya say…

_Heero_?" And with that his eyes closed and Heero was left stranded, lying on top of him, watching his descent into oblivion.

There was something undeniably attractive about the braided baka who currently held him prisoner, Heero mused to himself. And it wasn't just the looks, although he had to admit the sleeping boy had alluring eyes and hair that made a person want to unravel it and run his hands through it…

He shook himself off those kinds of unwelcome ideas. Yes, he was beautiful, he admitted, but there was also something about the energy he seemed to radiate. He made Heero forget, even for just a moment, the countless killings he had committed as part of his mission for peace, and that he was just enjoying a quiet moment with someone who was special to him.

Not that this stranger he was stuck with right now was _that _special to him, although somehow, that same stranger knew his name, or at least his codename. And he thought rather ironically, it definitely was not a factor that at least one of them be damn bloody. Which made him look at his own clothes, or rather lack of them, he belatedly corrected himself, that had several red stains. But it wasn't like he minded, although he wished the boy didn't have to fall asleep on him.

He sighed again, then grit his teeth. He was getting all too used to sighing. Soldiers don't sigh, he reminded himself sternly. He resumed staring.

"Sweet dreams…" He said softly against his captor's ear. Then the wind rustled and he thought he heard someone croon, _Duo. Sweet dreams, Duo._

Duo…

Heero frowned. He scanned the vicinity for any other persons who might be potential threats, but he found none. He repeated the words he'd heard.

"Sweet dreams…" He paused hesitantly, then added, "Duo."

The slumbering boy's lips curved into a peaceful smile unconsciously. And against his will, Heero sighed yet again.

An ebony feather fell to the ground, unnoticed.


	3. Awaken

A/N: This is shounen-ai, meaning two guys get together. So please don't try complaining if you are dissatisfied with the 1x2 pairing. You were forewarned.

Thanks to all the people who reviewed in the past two chapters, you know who you are... :) I apologize if the paragraphing is a little messy. It seems that I can't use the asterisk to divide POVs like I used to back then... frown

So here it is, chapter two of DiD, as I like to call it. Contains probably more than a hint of OOC-ness, but I think you'll like what happens near the end, although I'm willing to bet more than a few will be saying, "Damn you, Rei, stop throwing random stuff we don't understand in the story!". Sorry if this story is confusing, by the way. I meshed all my past ideas together to make this one. Feel free to e-mail me at if you want to talk about DiD in all its confusion, fanfics, 1x2, GW, or just anime. And suggestions are very much welcome, although no worries for the plot since I've already thought it out. Enjoy!

-Rei:)

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Gundam Wing. If I did, I would have had Relena killed off in the first episode. That and Heero suck face with Duo...haha.

**Descent Into Dissonance**

**Chapter II – Awaken **

Heero didn't know when he had fallen asleep. He didn't remember it, but he assumed he had, because he was dreaming he was inside the dorm already on his bed, and the boy named Duo, who should have been dead at that point, was sleeping with him. Then he frowned and rubbed his eyes, willing the room to disappear and him to be back with his face against the asphalt, pressed against another teenager bathed in blood.

It was no dream. He was still inside the dorm, lying on his bed with a warm body pressed tightly against his, and he saw no sign of blood or wounds from the night before. He sat up rigidly in the bed, yanked his gun from its holster, and enunciated the first words that came to him.

"Omae wo korosu." As the nose of the pistol he was holding was forced down the small of his companion's back, Duo stirred and reached for Heero's hand. When his hand touched Heero's shoulder, Heero flinched and slapped his hand away. Finally waking up, Duo sat up too, and let out a huge yawn, stretching his arms out. He didn't have a shirt on.

"Whassamatter, Heero?" He mumbled sleepily as he ran a hand through his long, unbraided hair. Then he seemed to realize that a gun was being pointed at him. He laughed suddenly and held up his arms in mock surrender.

"Who are you." He questioned icily, his finger still against the trigger of his gun, ready to pull should the need arise. Duo shrugged nonchalantly.

"Duo Maxwell." Heero glared at him, but he refused to be daunted. Just as Heero was about to put a bullet in his body to persuade him to answer, the door swung open to reveal an irate Wufei Chang, an obviously worried Quatre Raberba Winner, and a still silent Trowa Barton.

"Yuy!" Wufei barked from the entrance. "Where have you been since last night until this morning?" Heero merely lifted an eyebrow at the abrupt inquiry.

"Doing business." He curtly replied. He glowered at the others, daring them to ask any similar questions. When silence greeted the room, he fell silent and looked at his bedspread. It was better than contemplating the fact that he had just slept with a complete stranger (bad, considering that he didn't know what Duo could've done to him in that short period of time), and he had missed a day of classes (good, considering he had managed to avoid Relena's company).

"So," Normally soft-spoken Trowa broke the uneasy silence. "Who is he?" He gestured to the long-haired boy seated next to Heero on the bed. And for once, Heero was at a loss of what to say.

Duo was the person he'd found on the sidewalk bleeding to death? Duo was just a poor boy he'd seen freezing outside the dorm and decided to share a warm bed with? Duo was his lover who'd dropped by last night? He blanched at the last one. Nobody would ever believe that in a million years, not even himself.

Heero clenched his fists, frustrated by the fact that he had no plausible explanations at hand. Wufei took his speechlessness as proven guilt, and he snorted contemptuously. "Don't you see, Barton, that it's probably a _lover_ Yuy decided to bring to the dorm?" He curled his lip in disdain. Quatre coughed to gain everyone's attention. All eyes swiveled to his direction impatiently.

"Excuse me, but what's your name? In all this fuss we forgot to ask you for it." Quatre smiled apologetically, and received a wide smile from the striking violet-eyed teenager in return. He sighed inwardly. He should have known that the Perfect Soldier Heero Yuy needed something to alleviate his stress. A soldier, after all, couldn't achieve optimal performance if he had a huge build-up of stress in so short a time. But was he to know Yuy would use sex to accomplish those means?

"I'm Duo Maxwell. I run, I hide, but I never lie." Duo stated firmly, uneasy of the sense of familiarity he was experiencing but was nevertheless not reciprocated by the others. He pushed the thought away, and repeated his statement with more conviction that what he felt at the moment. All regarded him skeptically at his last words, then decided to take the benefit of the doubt until so proven.

He smiled secretly in silent victory. Yes, he oftentimes omitted some things, but that wasn't necessarily lying, was it? No, of course not. Some things were best left unsaid, after all.

Like how he and Heero had stumbled their way into the dorm at two o'clock in the morning, for one.

Flashback

"Heero?" Duo whispered suddenly. His companion opened one blue eye, but said nothing. He hoped it was a sign that Heero was really awake, not just blinking in his sleep.

"We gotta go now…" He was getting increasingly nervous. It was already early morning, he estimated, by the dark blue hue that had settled itself in the sky. Surely someone would notice that Heero was missing from the dorm and still hadn't returned. His brows furrowed as he considered how exactly he had known Heero had come from the dorm, but he couldn't arrive at an answer. He just knew, somehow, just as he knew that Heero's name was indeed Heero.

Thankfully, Heero seemed to have responded to the plea, and the two of them slowly got up, filthy garments and all, and walked towards the direction of the dorm. Of course, Duo regretted belatedly, not without leaving a bloody trail in their wake. He half-expected someone to boom out 'Halt!' as he fished for a hairpin in his braid and busied himself with getting the now-locked entrance open for them to slip quietly inside. When he got it unlocked, he placed his hand on top of Heero's and motioned with a flick of his braid. The boy next to him nodded almost imperceptibly, and the two of them cautiously stepped into the lobby. As they ran stealthily through the halls of the first floor, Duo asked in a low voice, "Where's your dorm room?"

"Next door on the left, Room # 0013." Even as they ran, Duo's thoughts were primarily on the blood bath he was well aware the floor was getting. When they bounded to the right, he immediately came to a stop and turned the doorknob hastily. His eyes darted from person to sleeping person, and when he was finally content that they were indeed fully asleep, he dragged Heero with him and they slid past the beds, grabbed clothes for the both of them, and went to the bathroom.

Once there, Duo impulsively reached out and cupped Heero's face with his hands, then he leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth. Heero's eyes widened, but he did nothing to discourage it, only putting his hands on Duo's shoulders as if for support as he backed up against the wall. So when he pulled away reluctantly and turned on the hot water to fill the tub, Heero's eyes still had a glazed look in them, even as the two of them started undressing simultaneously to get rid of the blood and grime they'd acquired from outside.

When they stepped inside the bathtub, Duo let out a small sigh of satisfaction. His fatigue was slowly wearing away with the soothing waters, and while he lathered his hair with a generous amount of the dorm's shampoo, he hummed a cheerful melody to himself. Heero, on the other hand, he soon witnessed, had fallen asleep right in the tub, the water up to his shoulders and his messy brown hair sopping wet on the sides as his head tilted to the left unconsciously in an attempt to get comfortable.

Duo smiled. Heero was so cute when he was asleep, although he still had that little frown on his face, he mused, and a quiet chuckle escaped him.

After he finished taking his luxurious bath, he woke Heero so he could finish his bath and dress, then grabbed his boxers and dressed into another pair of spandex shorts. He grinned at that. He guessed that Heero probably had nothing in his closet but spandex shorts and green tank tops aside from the school uniform. And he supposed Heero also wouldn't have a spare hair tie since his current one was so dirty, would he?

Deciding to leave his hair down, he moved on to deciding what else he should fix. When he looked at their dirty clothes, though, he bit his lip. He wasn't sure what to do with them. If he burned them, the whole building would smell it. But if he put it in the wash, it might look suspicious. He glanced at Heero, who'd fallen right back asleep after dressing, and exhaled sharply. He threw the dirty clothing in the clothes hamper, gently woke Heero up, saying softly that it was time to go to bed, and collapsed sitting on the bed after what seemed like an eternity. He allowed Heero to lie on the bed, his head against the soft pillow, and he resigned himself to propping his head by the bedside and sleeping on the floor. Then he heard someone call his name.

"Duo…" His head whipped around. Who knew his name? When he heard it again, though, he recognized Heero's voice. He frowned. Yes, he remembered Heero well enough, at least he did in those odd flashes of so-called memories

"Yeah?" Duo responded lightly, looking up. He didn't expect an answer, so he was very, very shocked and a little more than surprised when Heero grabbed his arm in a sudden burst of strength and practically threw him on the bed, leaving him gasping for breath.

"Payback…" Heero muttered, and refused to let go of him. Stifling a delighted laugh, Duo thought, 'Oh, what the hell?' and curled up on the bed next to him.

End of Flashback

Yes, that was definitely an interesting start. Never mind that he acted like he was high on cocaine or something. He couldn't believe that THE Heero Yuy would allow some random person like HIM to do stuff like that to him… maybe he did drug Heero and he didn't realize it. He jerked up his head in the middle of his reverie when someone coughed loudly again.

"Umm, excuse me, Duo, but what exactly is your relationship with Heero?" Quatre inquired as tactfully as he could. He couldn't help but ask. He was only human, after all, and sometimes curiosity got the best of him. Duo coughed suddenly and he covered his mouth with a hand to repress the laughter he knew was getting the better of him.

'My relationship with Heero, huh? Hmmm…' A positively wicked gleam was in his eyes as he pondered over what was most likely to embarrass his companion. He thought of the earlier accusation he'd heard, which got another puzzling flash of what seemed to be fragments of memories, and opened his mouth to prepare to answer as best as he could.

"As Wufei mentioned a while ago, I AM Heero's lover…" He flashed a triumphant smile at Wufei, unaware of the slip his tongue had made in the process. However, everyone else was not nearly so inattentive, and one of them decided to take immediate action on the potential threat.

"You! Maxwell, you say? How do you know me? I've never even seen you before!" The outraged Chinese boy was there near the door one second and pressing a sword to his throat in the next. Unable to move or talk, he sat helplessly, waiting for something to happen. Thankfully, Quatre intervened.

"No, Wufei! We mustn't! I'm sure Duo must have a good explanation as to why he knows your name. Please, let's just hear him out. Don't you think so, Trowa?" The tall boy nodded.

"Heero?" He turned pleading eyes to the impassive Japanese student, and got a 'hn' in response.

"Thank you." He smiled gratefully, and with a sigh, Wufei lowered his sword. Duo winced; the sword had left a cut in his neck. He swallowed, and then began to talk.

"I woke up yesterday evening with an indeterminable loss of blood and complete memory loss. I don't know what happened before that, but the last thing I remember is falling from a high structure and not being able to get up. After seeing Heero, I just knew that he was a part of the big puzzle which used to be my life, and magically, I somehow knew who he was." Heero's eyes widened imperceptibly. Duo cleared his throat and continued.

"And I also knew he was sleeping in this exact building. I don't know why, but I knew that and I trusted him completely because there was an aching sense of familiarity about him. When I slept here for the night, actually, make it morning, the weird feeling of having seen and having known him and you guys was stronger, but it was only when all of you were here that I experienced several times a set of flashbacks." Duo stopped at this and frowned. He was unsure of how to continue, but Quatre nodded encouragingly.

"One of these was sparring with Wufei over here a few years back… and another was of teasing Heero about Relena and her refusal to accept he didn't share the feeling of love she harbored for him… and…" Duo blushed and shook his head furiously, and everyone blinked in confusion.

"And?" Wufei prompted. Despite himself, he was curious as to how someone he'd never seen before could claim to have sparred with him. However, his prodding only served to make Duo turn redder. Heero smirked.

"You look like a tomato right now." He commented. He was answered with a death glare.

"Well, I'm so sorry Your Highness, but that memory I am unwilling to divulge concerns you too, buster, so don't act so arrogant!" He retorted. Then he grinned humorlessly, and even Quatre was taken aback by the complete change in expression.

"Okay then… since Heero wants everyone to know it so bad… Irmmbredhavinsixwihero…" Nobody knew what to make of it, so Wufei scowled at him.

"What did you say?" The rest of the people nodded. Duo at normal talking speed was fast enough; Duo at hyper talking speed was scary. Duo muttered under his breath about dumb idiots being deaf, but he took a deep breath and then he said it again, more clearly this time.

"I remembered having sex with Heero…" And Duo flopped face down back on the bed, too embarrassed to say any more. The three people watched in morbid fascination as the aforementioned boy turned impossibly crimson, then blue, then white.

And then he stood still.

Quatre, unable to resist, poked the Japanese boy's face experimentally, then snatched his hand right back in case Heero had any plans. They waited.

Nothing.

Because of Duo's untimely confession, even the great stone man Heero Yuy had suffered a breakdown.

And it looked like he wasn't going to awaken any time soon.


	4. Sloe Eyed Angel

A/N: So now we come to the inevitable showdown between Duo and Relena. Who shall prevail? Just kidding. I had so much fun writing this chapter. I think, anyway. Feel free to e-mail me if you want to ask anything about my thoroughly confusing story, DiD. God help me, even _I _confuse myself sometimes! But because I got so inspired watching Vision of Escaflowne, here it is, my chapter three! Enjoy!

Oh, and does anybody have an anime/manga picture of Duo with his hair down? Recently I've taken up drawing again, and managed to draw a passable Hotohori of Fushigi Yuugi in the process, but I really would like a Gundam Wing picture, especially of Heero/Duo. Hehe.

And a special note: sloe-eyed can mean either blue-eyed or violet-eyed. Take your pick.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, quite obviously. I don't think I would have bothered putting Relena in the series if I had full ownership. She's such a pest, honestly.

**Descent Into Dissonance**

By Rei Tomiyama

**Chapter III – Sloe-Eyed Angel**

Uriel had always been there with him, for as long as he could remember. It seemed that there was no time, really, before he had met the silver-haired Archangel, and perhaps, there wasn't. What good was there to retain a memory of being alone? It only served to create unhappiness and sorrow, and therefore had no purpose for him. Why should he need to bring with him bitter recollections if right in front of him resided contentment and companionship?

However, certain events happened so abruptly, and he was thrown into a mindless and chaotic state. The first friend he'd ever had by his side had died and fallen to the world below. Unless he ventured to give up his immortality to search for Uriel wandering as a lost human soul, he would never see the lavender-eyed angel again.

He was convinced God was sure to send him away from Heaven anyway. He had slain Riguel, which was against divine law, and he would have to suffer the consequences of a murder done in the name of personal vengeance. He smiled bitterly.

He'd as soon rather be dying over and over again hoping to stumble across Uriel than be imprisoned, unable to do anything, he decided. He turned around to face the Seraphim that had silently formed a protective circle around him, their majestic wings unfurled. They all had swords burning with a steady crimson flame, and he looked, almost reflectively, at his own silvery-blue twin blades slightly stained with blood.

Without warning he stepped backwards and jumped, plunging himself from the skies to the small speck of land waiting to receive him, and his wings were slowly stripped from him, pristine white feathers falling away, one by one.

Wait for me… I'm going after you…   
Uriel!   
A pair of amethyst eyes bore into his in that infinite moment.   
I'll be waiting…   
"Uriel?"   
He woke up with a sudden start, gaze focusing in on violet orbs staring right back at him. His heart was thudding wildly in his chest. Uriel… 

"Uriel? I've finally found you now, haven't I?" He said softly. A pale hand smoothed back his unruly hair. A glint of silver flashed in the bright sunlight as strands of the archangel's hair caressed his face.

"You have never needed to find me, because I have always…

_Always _been with you."

His eyes closed.

…

The next time Heero opened his eyes, he was alone. The rest of the people inside the room had gone, and the sky was dark. It must be dinnertime by now, he estimated. He swung his legs over the bed, grabbed a pair of jeans and a navy t-shirt from his cabinet, then headed off to the canteen.

"Yes, that's correct, I'm a friend of Heero's… yes, we've known each other for quite a while, now." He heard a familiar voice say jovially over the usual din of conversation. He knew that voice from somewhere, he was pretty sure… he just couldn't place it. As he stalked past the other students, a chestnut head spun around and waved cheerfully to him, and he felt a glimmer of recognition.

That same smiling face, those sparkling wine-colored eyes, the long rope of hair…! He began to walk even faster, almost desperate.

"Duo!" Someone exclaimed, and all the cafeteria's occupants swiveled around to see what was all the fuss about. He belatedly realized that it was himself that had uttered the name so loudly. The other teenager rushed forward and embraced him suddenly.

"Heero!" He didn't know how he could have forgotten Duo. They had been inseparable since childhood. Duo's adoptive parents had entrusted to keep their exuberant son away from trouble, and he did, although he was coerced into playing accomplice to pranks more than once. As they both grew older, the bond of friendship between them strengthened. A few years after they had met, Relena had shown up, intent on attaching herself permanently to Heero's side, but with Duo's help, he had successfully evaded her sneaky tactics.

That is, until a year ago, when his own father had found out the… unnatural sort of relationship the two of them had progressed to. He had been forced to move back to Japan, and he had not so much as received a single letter from his long-time American companion. But he had only remembered that when he had woken up.

A hand clutched his and led him through the crowd, weaving in and out of cliques to finally stop at a table, where his other roommates were already seated. He automatically took a seat, but he couldn't help but gaze fixedly at one person. How could he have forgotten?

"So, Heero… it seems Duo's story is true." The blonde Arab was practically glowing. "He was showing us your pictures." He pushed an unmarked white envelope across, towards the Japanese boy. He took it silently and scanned the colored photographs. In almost all of them, a sullen, slightly younger image of himself was present, but what he took note of was the fact that beside his childhood counterpart was a chestnut haired boy leaning against him, braid snaking around Heero's shoulder and neck. Why hadn't he noticed the resemblance before? He felt angry with himself, and Duo must have realized that, because he sat down next to Heero, prying open his fists to return the pictures inside the envelope.

At least, all but one picture. The last one had been taken shortly before Yui Hiroto had abruptly returned from his business trip and stormed inside his heir's bedroom, furious to see another half-naked teenage boy on Heero's bed. It was Duo with his silky long hair cascading past his shoulders, his black polo shirt unbuttoned, a solemn expression on his features. He turned it to look at the back, and saw the inscription.

_Only for you._

_-Duo_

"It's that _onna_!" Heero reluctantly looked up, lost in memory, when Wufei hissed the sentence between his teeth, just in time to witness _Relena_, of all people, nearing their table. His face darkened when she halted right in front of Duo.

"You miserable faggot!" She spat scathingly. "How dare you have the gall to waltz into Heero's life again, just when he's committed himself to a fresh new start!" She paused for a moment, then continued with her rant. "Heero is _my_ boyfriend now, not yours! So think again before you try anything, if you don't want me to inform Mr. Yui that the foolish American boy who was such a bad influence on Heero is back to torment his son again!" She assumed a complacent air, satisfied.

"You fucking bitch!" Duo snarled back. "So it was _you_ who told that pompous jerk! Jealous now, weren't you? Admit it, now, Relena, you were jealous 'cause you, a girl, lost to me, a boy, over Heero, and you couldn't stand to lose now, could you? That's why Heero left America, with you trailing behind like a lovesick puppy! And now that I'm here again, enrolling in _this_ school, you're afraid you're going to lose again!" At this point, a lot of people had surrounded the area where the commotion was taking place and were listening with keen interest.

Heero sighed internally. _Way to make a first impression in school, Duo. Now all of Relena's groupies will be hounding you, no doubt about it._

"What's going on here?" All the students froze. The commanding tone could belong to none other than their principal, Treize Khushrenada. He stepped through the rapidly-thinning throng of individuals hurriedly exiting the cafeteria and glanced around the room, spotting the source of the ruckus almost immediately. He headed to a particular table.

Relena bit her lip anxiously. She wasn't used to being in trouble with the principal. She was, after all, a goody-goody popular girl. But a mischievous, lazy smile slowly spread across Duo's visage, which worried the others, most especially his best friend. "Excuse me, Mr…" Treize raised an eyebrow critically. "I do believe we haven't met yet. Treize Khushrenada." He extended a hand, which Duo shook.

"Maxwell, sir. Duo Maxwell. I run, I hide, but I never lie." If possible, the older man's eyebrow lifted even higher at the statement.

"Very well, Mr. Maxwell…"

"Please call me Duo, Mr. Khushrenada."

"Duo, then. What in the world were you and Ms. Peacecraft," at this he gestured to the blonde, "talking about that so many other students were attracted to your train of conversation?" Duo merely smiled pleasantly.

"We were but renewing acquaintances, Mr. Khushrenada. You see, Ms. Peacecraft and I have known each other from back in America, which is where I used to study." Heero nodded almost imperceptibly, but Khushrenada caught the movement and directed his cordial stare at the other boy.

"Ah, so you also know Duo, Mr. Yuy?" Out of the corner of his eye, Heero saw Relena clench her teeth and smirked.

"Hn. Yeah, I do." At this, Duo jumped in before anybody could say anything else.

"Anyway, Mr. Khushrenada, that was all there was to it. Wasn't it, Relena?" He smiled mockingly at her, as if daring her to disagree. She knew when she was defeated. She plastered a saccharine smile on.

"Of course, Duo. Our peers were simply overexcited because Duo announced his plans to move to our school, Mr. Khushrenada. There was absolutely nothing to worry about. And now, if you'll excuse me." She bowed deeply and absconded the room, leaving a puzzled principal behind, who turned to leave the room as well.

And Treize Khushrenada was indeed, not the only one confused by the recent turn of events. Everybody else, except for Duo, had similar questioning looks.

"What was that about." Heero said dryly. He was given a sheepish grin in return, belied by the dangerous glitter of violet eyes.

"Um… so I guess you know Relena Peacecraft as well…" Quatre laughed nervously, trying to dispel the uncomfortable atmosphere. A bitter sound escaped Duo's lips.

"Hell yeah I know her… that little conniving harlot used to hang off Heero's arm like some leech starving for blood. Specifically Heero's blood. Even when I told her straight out that Heero was going out with me, she went berserk and…" He flushed guiltily at the sight of a skeptical pair of cobalt eyes.

"When, exactly?"

"Uhhhh…" He darted glances all around them, as if wanting to flee the interrogation, trying to stall time. "Well, you know the day you were fiddling with your camera in your home and taking pictures of me? I…errr…I _borrowed_ some negatives and had them duplicated to show her."

"And I suppose she refused to take your word for it." Duo whipped his head towards the speaker, surprised. So did four other pairs of eyes.

_What the…! Khushrenada's still here! Shit… I didn't see that coming._ Heero mentally cursed himself for not paying more attention. They could have given away vital information to the man without even being aware of it.

A smile was playing on the auburn haired man's lips. "I pride myself on being aware of my students' affairs, and I find this to be one of the more effective methods in doing so." Wufei growled at the statement. _This was supposed to be a private thing, not a gossip session, dammit!_

"Anyway, go on. Pretend I'm not here." Duo shot the older man an uneasy look.

"We-e-e-e-ll, fine then, Mr. Khushrenada, with your permission. To make a long story short, Relena tried to claw me with her manicured nails, and we kinda got into a brawl. Haha…" He licked his lips and stared at his feet. Heero frowned, but said nothing. Trowa remained impassive.

"Kinda?" Quatre prompted. "What happened after she clawed you?"

"I guess…" Here Duo faltered, and his face scrunched up in a poorly hidden grimace. "I think I lost control as well, and I ended up dumping her into a trashcan." The Japanese boy's brow furrowed. He remembered seeing his friend bleeding and scratched one night, left eye closed and dripping with blood. When he'd asked what happened, Duo had evasively replied that a cat had attacked him in the alley. The subject had been immediately closed afterwards, and he had never thought to bring it up again.

"So she was unconscious?" Wufei thought it hard to drag a kicking and screaming girl all the way to a trashcan without bruising. Take Meiran, his stubborn girlfriend, for example. He winced at the recollection.

"Yeah." The long-haired teenager answered dully. "I aimed a roundhouse at her chest, kicked her between the legs, snapped her wrist, broke a few ribs, and backhanded her neck. She was knocked out, all right." He released a strangled laugh.

"I thought I'd killed her." His haunted eyes alighted at an empty spot near them. There was a soft gasp of shock from Quatre.

The principal was gone.

"What he's going to do now with what he's learned, I wonder..." Trowa murmured to himself, quietly.

They all headed back to the dorm, their footsteps blanketing the heavy tension amongst themselves.

…

"You're lying! Heero would never go out with someone like you!" She launched herself at him and scored her nails on his arms. He let out a sharp cry at the unexpected assault, and then he saw red.

She was no longer that annoying girl whose pastime was to stalk Heero, but a threat to be obliterated. He landed a staggering roundhouse kick to her chest and the impact made her stumble backwards onto the pavement. It was a struggle for her to get up, but she did it, and she raked a hand on his face, leaving a trail of crimson from his left eyebrow to his cheek. He kneed her hard in the ribs, and she collapsed, clutching her side and gasping for breath. Already she was weakening, and he could have left her in that state.

However, he felt strangely bloodthirsty, and so he lifted her up by her collar with ease, using only one hand, and then he took her right arm and forced it behind her, twisting her wrist until it snapped. He threw the girl back down to the ground, where she lay painfully sobbing.

"Stand up, Relena." He was humming a melancholy tune under his breath as he pulled her to her feet. His voice was tinged with exasperation.

"Come on, Relena, I thought we were playing a game. Don't let me down now!" A kick directly between her legs sent her reeling, and she slumped down, defeated. Then a paralyzing backhand to her neck, and it was over.

His insane laughter echoed in the distorted shadows of the night as he cradled her into his arms, dumping her inside an empty metal trashcan.

What kind of person was he? How could he have done such a thing without considering the consequences? Horrified, he ran from the scene, away from the gruesome results of his own handiwork.

"Duo!" Heero? What was he doing here? Had he seen Duo with Relena? He panicked. Heero was his best friend, but even he knew that such an act was intolerable, and he would surely turn Duo over to the police and into jail.

But he didn't know if Relena was dead already, his mind protested. If Relena was alive, and that was a big if, he would be kept in jail. But if he really _had_ killed the girl, then he would be sentenced to a lethal injection. He kept running, yet even then he could still hear Heero calling his name, voice bouncing off the walls as he ran after Duo.

"Duo! I'm here! You don't have to be afraid!" He slowed down, involuntarily. Did Heero really mean it? Would he believe Duo if he said he hadn't meant to hurt Relena?

"It's okay, Duo… it's just a dream." Blue eyes looked into his searchingly, and tanned arms opened to embrace him. He stepped forward, not quite sure, but unwilling to turn away the comfort that was offered.

"You're with me, Duo… it's okay… it's just a dream. " He woke up thrashing on the bed, but somebody was holding him back.

Heero… 

He buried his face in the Japanese boy's chest, sobbing noiselessly. When the tears had left him, he finally fell asleep in his friend's arms.

"It's okay, Duo…" Heero repeated to himself quietly. "You're safe. I'll protect you."

…

A/N: Wow! Another chapter done! I'm so happy I could do a victory dance:) Hehe… anyway, can anyone guess what happened to Relena, really? After all, if you were beaten half to death, you wouldn't forget so easily, right? So, if you guys review, try to leave your own theory of how the events all connect together. Oh, and notice how Heero's last name is still spelled as Yuy while his father's is spelled as 'Yui'? No, it's not a fluke, but I'd like to see how you guys interpreted it. Until the next chapter, then!

Rei:)


End file.
